Folding chair



imatented Dec. 26, m22.,

JOHN SHOEMAKER, DE ALPHA, MICHIGAN.

FOLDENG CHAIR.

Application filed August 11, 1921. Serial No. 491,431,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that JOHN SHonMAKnR, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Alpha, in the county of lron and State of h/lichigan, has invented new and useful Aimprovements in Folding Chairs of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a folding chair of the lawn or camp chair type which can be folded into a much more compact form than those heretofore constructed to produce a substantially cylindrical bundle of a length not exceeding the width of the chair and a diameter of not to exceed three or four inches to the end that it may readily be carried in a grip or suitcase; and with this obiect in view the invention consists in a construction and combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings7 wherein Figure 1 is a View of the chair in its normal or operative condition.

Figure 2 is a View of the same when folded.

Figure 3 is a detail view of one of the heads of the drum showing the associated radial folding members.

Figure e is a similar view of one of the locking spiders.

Figure 5 is a view of the outer end of one of the seat bars.

Figure 6 is a similar View of thc outer or upper end of one of the back bars.

lfiglue 'i' is a siniila' View of one of the bucle' bars.

Figure is a longitudinal detail sectional View showing one of the telescopiug Ajoints comprised in the back bars.

lliglne 9 is a detail View of one of the extremities of the transverse seat bar.

The device consists essentially of a drun'i having terminal heads 10 of complemental construction connected by a core 11 which may as illustrated consist of a reasonably stout bar of wood or metal connecting the centers of the heads and forming the axis of the drum; and a plurality of radial elements hingedly or pivotally mounted upon the heads at the inner surfaces thereof and adapted for extension radially of the heads or of arrangement parallel with the core and between the heads; supplemented by means for holding the radial elements in their adjusted positions and a flexible apron forming a seat and back apron 12 supported by the frame.

ln the construction illustrated the radial. elements include the forwardly extending seat elements 18 designed to form the side bars of the seat, the leg` elements 1alwhich incline respectively forwardly `and rearwardly from the heads to form the supports for the drum, and the back elements 16 which extend upwardly and rearwardly from the heads of the drum to form the side bars of the bach, said back elements being of extensible construction, each comprising a plurality of relatively adjustable sections, so as to aford the necessary length thereof to hold the upper end of the apron 12 in the proper position. The sections of the back elements are shown in the drawing as being telescoped with suitable guide ears or clips 1'? for maintaining them in alignment, and at the free ends of the uppermost sections thereof are provided eyes 18 for the reception of pins 19 on the extremities of the back cross bar 2O threaded in a suitable transverse pocket in the upper end of the apron or web 12.

The free ends of the seat elements are correspondingly provided with eyes or sockets 21 for the reception of pins 22 on the extremities of the transverse seat bar 2B tted in a transverse pocket in the lower end of the web or apron.

The inner ends of the several leg, seat and baclr elements are hinged to the inner sur- Vfaces of the heads :is for example by means of staples 2l on the latter engaged by eyes 25, and these heads are peripherally flanged inwardly as shown at 26 with the flanges provided with cut away portions or notches forming seats 27 in the planes respectively of the folding elements and adapted to receive the same when extended. Also revolubly mounted upon the heads or disks are locking spiders 28 having catches 29 adapted to be brought into interlocking engagement with the folding elements when 'the latter are engaged respectively with the seats in the flanges of the heads or disks so as to lock said elements against accidental folding or collapsing.

in reducing the chair of the construction indicated to a folded condition it will be obvious that the apron or web forming the combined seat and bach filler should be removed after which the back elements should be collapsed by the sliding` of the upper and intermediate sections thereofl into the lower or inain sections, after which the spider may be turned to release the elements which in turn may be folded inward `between the planes of the heads or disks and parallel with the core, and the apron or web forming the filler may then be `Wrapped around the core and secured for example by a retaining Cord 3l of `Which the extremities are provided with hooks 32 forengageineiit with eyes 83 projecting outwardly from the heads or disks. l

{ai/ing described the invention, what is claimed as new and usei'iil'is A folding chair comprising` a -diuin consisting` of terminal heads and an interconnectingl core, the `heads being of coinplemental construction and provided with =in turned flanges formed at spaced `points around their periphery with notches constituting seats, radial elements hingedly mounted on the head 2members on the linner faces thereof adjacent the core and adapted to swing dovvn into parallelism with the latter or into radial position with reference to the heads and in which latter position they engage in the notches, locking spiders ypivotedon the exterior faces o'l' the heads and inturned at their extremities to overlap thelanges of the heads, said overlapping extremities being notehedto provide catches engaging the radial members When disposed in said sea-ts, the radial members constitut-v engaged respectively with the extremitieso'fthe radial elementsconstituting the seat and back side bars. i

In testimony vvli'ereot1 the vatrixes his signature.

JOHN SHOEMAKER. 

